Centrifugal cream-separator.



G. M. ANDERSON. GENTRIFUGAL CREAM SEPARATOR. ,APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 16,1909.

960368 Patented June '7, 1910.

3 SHBETS-SHEET 1 G. M. ANDERSON. UBNTRIFUGAL CREAM SEPARATOR.APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16, 1909.

@@. Patented June 7,1910.

G. M. ANDERSON. GBNTRIPUGAL CREAM SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I6, 1909.

Patented June 7, 1910.

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3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

l NUNITED STATES PATENT oEEroE.

GUSTAF M. ANDERSON, 0F yWATERLOQ, IOWA.

CENTRIFUGAL vCREAM-SEPARLA'JTOI'R To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAF M. ANDERSON, a citizen of the United Statesof America, and a resident of Waterloo, Blackhawk county, Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Centrifugal Cream-Searators, of which the following is a specification.

vMy invention relates to improvements in centrifugal cream separators,and the objects of my improvements are these: first, to provide a linermade up of a pile of separated frusta whose inner edges have projectionswhich extend toward and engage a concentric support; second, such frustawhose said inwardly-directed projections lead into and' through theinner cream zone;

l third, such frusta whose inwardly-directed projections are angular incross-section with the apices of their angles arranged to stem the creamzone current toward the creamexit; fourth, lsuch frusta whoseinwardlydirected rojections are curved or semicylindrical incross-section, with the outer curve or semi-cylindric surface of eachlikewise arranged to stem the current of escaping separated crea-mi;fifth, frustum support- .Diijg-means adapted to concentrically support"such frusta, and designed appropriately to best conduct the current ofescaping cream 1n the cream zone toward 1ts exit with a mmlmum ofinterference due to adhesion of coagulating cream on its outer surface.

These objects4 I have accomplished bythe means which are hereinafterfully described and claimed, and which are illustrated by theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a central vertical axial section of the bowl of acentrifugal cream separator, containing also in cent-ral verticalsection my improved liner and regulable nonclogging cream-exit. Fig. 21s an upper plan view of the cream-exit head and a broken portion of thediaphragm on. which it is mounted. Fig.'3 is a vertical central sectionof the structures shown in Fig. 2, taken through the axis of thecommunicating channels leading to the cream-exit. Fig. 4 is a sideelevation of the structures-shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an` upperplanview of one of my improved liner frusta, showing theangularly-channeled inwardly-directed projections thereof. Fig. 6 is acentral vertical axial section of the frustum shown in Fig. 5, taken onthe line af-a. Fig. 7 is an upper plan view of one of my improvedSpecication of Letters Patent. Patented Jun@ 79 1910,

, o; Application filed .Tune 16, 1909. Serial No. 502,505. f

5 6. Fig. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of one o my improved frustumspacingcllps. Fig. 10 is a central vertical section of the frustum suporting-means. Fig. 11 is a horizontal section of the structure shown 1nFig. 10, taken on the line Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail diagrammaticview of the communicating cream-exit channels and their interceptingadjustable dam, parts being broken away and the radially-varying densityof cream indicated therein.

The central principle or inventive idea comprehended in my severalimprovements to a centrifugal cream separator is the designing of theliner'and cream-exit so as to free allpassages leading to the cream-exitfrom impediments and adapt them variously for complete deliveryregardless of the exigencies of temperature or the varyin cream contentof the full milk. In

vot er words, it is an embodiment in practice of the modern requirementsof a cream separator, which are a small bowl of supreme eiiiciency inskimmin milk of different temperatures or which 'as a great variation inpercentage of cream. It is necessary to prevent clogging due tocoagulation of the cream at comparatively low temperatures, which causesa filling up of the bowl, and a cessation of separation.

The bowl of my improved centrifugal cream separator, is formed in twoportions, the body 11 and a removable base 15, the spindle 14 beingaxially united to the latter. The contacting parts of the body l1 andthe base 15 are provided at their line of junction with a rubber gasket16 set in an annular groove in the base to prevent leakage. The upperend of the spindle 14 projects above the base 15 in the form of a bosswhich is fitted within the hollow lower end of a milk inlet-tube l, butis grooved to aiord channels which cominunicate with theradially-directed milk-deliveryin orifices 13. The tube 1 is integralwith said base and concentric with the axis of the bowl. When said baseand tube have been fitted within said bowl, a lock-nut 2 serves tosecure the upper end of the tube in its seat in the contracted top ofthe bowl. A frustum-supporter 8, in the form of a hollow cylinder,

` is removably fitted over the inlet-tube 1,

' The lower part of the frustum 24 is supported on the base of the bowl,and is fitted closely but removably about a raised portion thereof. j

The liner of the bowl is composed of a pile of separating plates each inthe form of a hollow frustum 9, with their inner portions bent to extendhorizontally inwardly toward the axis of the bowl. The inner edges ofthe frusta are formed with projections separated by spaces 12, thelatter coincident wlth and lying vertically above the slots 12 in thefrustum 24 so as to register .therewith and thus afford uninterruptedchannels for the passage therethrough of milk and cream. Theseprojections 25 are preferably shaped in the form of radially directedtroughs, and the latter may be made either V-shaped or semi-cylindric incross-section as shown in F igs.l 5 and 7 at 19 and 2() respectively.This conformation of the` projections 25 not only strengthens them, butalso serves them as conduits for the cream seeking'the cream zone, andthe said projections pass through the cream zone and contact with theexterior surface of the supporting cylinder 8. The inner ends of theprojections 25 are received between pairs of low vertical parallelridges 22 on the cylinder 8, said ridges keeping the frusta 9 in thesame registering vertical alinement. The apices or cylindric convexitiesof the troughs 19 or 20 as the case may be are directed downward or soas to stem the ascending current of separated cream in the cream zonenext the cylinder 8, in order that their sloping sides may thus presentleast resistance to the passage of the fluid. If inverted, the troughswould form cups which would retain quantities of the cream as well asoffering considerable resistance to the movement of the current pastthem.

The forming of the ridges 22 as shown, low and of small area, does awaywith any necessity for large radiallyfextended s acing wings whichrictionally engage andpbecome clotted with the heavier cream in theinnermost art of the cream zone under certain conditions of loweredtemperature. The frusta are thus properly supported and kept in verticalregistration with a minimum of interference with the cream current inits passage toward the cream exit. The prolongations 25 .as -thus usedalso carry the separating cream inwardly to a'limit coincident indistance from the bowls axis with the extreme inner limit of the creamexit, which was not possible in that form of construction where thelarge radial wings were used, in which latter case the inner cream zonelimit was farther from the axis of the bowl. In other words, in the oldform of construction, the central tubular shaft carried its wings wellinto the cream wall or zone. The cream moving toward the center engagedthe outer edge and lthe sides of these wings and in the case of cold orthick cream was inclined to coagulate or clot thereon. In my improveddevice, the cream zone or stratum is permitted' to be continued welltoward the axis thereof, and since the cream exit is variable indistance from the axis, the cream zone is continued to that locationwhere the cream exit has its innermost limit, the regulation of thedilution of the cream skimmed may be fixed by the adjustable exit to theextreme limits.l I am aware that projections or abutments were securedto the inner portions of separating disks or frusta heretofore so as toengage the su portin axial tube with their inner edges, but suclprojections were intended to convey the full milk outwardly as feedingdevices to said disks or frusta. They also presented a seriousinterference with the mwardl and upward flow or progress of the creamcurrent.

The projections which I use are for an entirely different purpose andfulfil an entirely different functlon, which is to convey the separatingcreamv to the innermost limit of the cream zone and in doing so effectthe least interference with the movement thereof to its outlet.

Each frustum 9 is provided with a plurality of slots adapted to receivethe s acin devices 10. The spacing device 10 is fdrme of a smalldiamond-shaped piece of metal transversely doubled upon ltself to formtwo parallel spaced a art angular members, and so inserted in a slbt ofthe frustum 49 as to leave the apices of the members directed toward theouter edge of the frustum. The members of the device are then pressed orclenched down as lshown upon the frustum. This arrangement of thespacing means between the frusta 9 affords the least resistance to theinward fiow of separating cream, and thus helps in preventing cloggingof the liner with cream clots when the cream or bowl'are cold or thecream is very thick.

The numeral 23 desi ates a hollow inner cone within and space away fromthe conical head of the bowl 11, and having a hollow upwardly directedcylindrical extension having a thimble 26 fitted therein. The skimmedmilk passes between the cone 23 and the bowl-head into the milk-exit 27.The cream fore, of the screw 5 is and c, but' if the dam be brou hemapasses ii' wa'rd inside otY the cone 23 and -in the tube 18. The lpperpart of the channel 6 is bent or curve outwardl at 4 forming acream-exit. A screw 5 is tted within an interiorly threaded seat at thejunction of the channels 6 and 7, so that when it is turned vit movesinwardly -to partially intercept both channels at their line ofcommunication, the diameter of the screw being slightly larger than thewidth of the sai .communicatlon between the two channels.

Referring particularly to Fig. 12, which is a diagrammaticalrepresentation of the probable action of my im roved variable cream-exitor outlet, it wil be seen that it depicts the cream-screw or adjustabledam 5 as partly moved inward, toward the axis of the bowl within theoutlet at the line of junction of the channels 6 and 7. In this positionit so restricts the outer portion of the outlet as to prevent the issueof the most diluted or outer stratumof the cream. For purposes ofconvenience', I have represented 'the cream in the channel 7 as dividedinto three strata, a, 'b and c, of specific gravities increasing fromato c. It is, of course, obvious that there isfno such dividing linebetween strata since the creamy zone varies imperceptibly in densityradially from the bowls axis under the influence of centrifugal force,but as an illustration the defining of strata is convenient. Thefunction, thereto more or less dam the issuing cream to correspondinglyvary its amount of dilution, since if the screw is not intruded-into thecurrent of the stratum c, the skimmed cream will have a maximum lofdilution with the. milkyet unseparated therefrom in the outer zone ofthe cream wall corresponding with this stratum. If moved radlally inwardto intercept the stratum c, the skimmed cream will be of less specificgravity including the strata b ht inwardly still more, only the cream oflig test specific avity in the stratum a will be skimmed.

ow, the object of my improvement in makin the cream outlet communicating'channels 6 and 7 of diil'erent areas with the inner wall of the channel7 nearer the axis of the bowl, is this; to afford a greater clearancefor the issuing cream to prevent clotting of the same therein when coldor especially thick and rich. Even in the event that when cold some ofthe richest cream might clot upon the inner walls of the passage 7, itsarea is sulicientto permit a free flow of the cream from the 'cream zonethrough the outlet to always be regulable by the screw or movable dam 5to vary the dilution of said cream as desired. The location ofthe screw5 at the junction or communication of the channels- 6 and 7 affords aperfect control of the communication, the inner end of the screw beingmovable partly in the upper end of the channel 7 as well as partly inthe lower end of the channel 6 of lesser area. The -wider channel 7 alsopermits of the recession of the cream zone inward toward the bowlsaxisfarther than in some liners, thereby permitting a surer control ofthe issuing cream, by giving better clearance to the thickest cream.While the outer limit of the inner walls of both the channels 6 and 7 isthe same, the widening of the channel 7 allows of a radially wider creamzone bein skimmed, which gives the operator a w1 er choice of regulationof dilutlon of the cream in skimming.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecurel by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a centrifugal cream separator bowl, a central hollow body therein,and a hollow rustum located concentrically therein, said frustum havingprojections from its inner edge adapted to enga e said body, and eachofsaid rojections eing formed into a. trough with the cavity of thetrough directed toward the cream-outlet of the bowl.

2. In a centrifugal cream separator bowl, a central hollow body therein,and a hollow frustum located concentrically therein, said frustum havingprojections from its inner edgeadapted to engage said body, andeach ofsaid projections beingformed into a V- shaped trough with the cavity ofthe trough directed toward the cream-outlet of the bowl and theapex ofthe trough adapted to stem the current of cream passing toward saidcream-outlet.

3. In a centrifugal cream separator bowl, a central hollow body therein,and a hollow frustum located concentrically therein, said frustumhavingprojections from its inner edge adapted to enga e said body, and each ofsaid projections eing formed with a crimp extendin into the cream zonewhose closed side is a apted to stem the esca-pin cream in the creamzone adjacent to sai central body.

4. In a centrifugal cream separator bowl, in combination, a centralhollow body having vertical troughs in itsouter surface, and a pile ofseparating plates disposed concentrically about said body and spacedapart, each of said separating lates having projections extending inwaredge to engage said sleeve within the said troughs thereon, the inneredges of said plates between said projections receding outwardly toprovide a series of alined chan; nels through said liner next to theouter surface of said sleeve.

5. In a centrifugal cream separator bowl,

ly from its inner in combination, a central hollow body havl and adaptedto deliver cream toward the ing Vertical Separated rides on its outerpeouter surface of said body, the vertices of riphery and an orificedaring base restmg said trough being directed to stem the curon thebottom of the bowl concentrcally rent of cream in the cream zone of thebowl. therewith, a pile of hollow frusta supported by said body and itsbase, each dutum havof ay, 1909.

in projectlons rom its inner e removably engaging the said body betweensaid GUSTAF M' ANDERSON vertical ridges, and each projection beingWitnesses:

constructed in the form of a trough di- G. O. MATTER,

rected toward the cream zone of the bowl O. l). YOUNG.

- Si ned at Waterloo, Iowa, this 29th day

